November 12, 1912 – Superior, Wisconsin – Alphonse “Tuffy” Leemans, the tough running back from George Washington University.
Tuffy was a second-round pick in the very first NFL Draft in 1936, thanks to a tip from Tim Marra’s son Wellington, who, while vacationing as a high schooler, saw Tuffy play at GW, per the Pro Football Hall of Fame bio on him. Leemans was the 1936 College All-Star MVP. In Leeman’s rookie season, he led all NFL rushers with a total of 830 yards on the ground.
As a Giant in his eight-year career, he was named first- or second-team all-league every year from 1936 through 1942, by either or both a major wire service and the NFL. The Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrined Tuffy Leemans in 1978. https://www.profootballhof.com/players/alphonse-tuffy-leemans/
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